Improvement in potato-diggers



J. J. SINGLE-Y.

POTATO BIGGER.

Patented Oct. 26, 1869.

ably connected.

itlatrnt chi-flier.

JOSEPHAJ. SINGLEY, or LAFAYETTE, INDIANA.

Letters Patent No. 96,153,. dated October-26, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-DIGG-ERS.

The Schedule referred to these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it mag concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH J SINGLEY, of Lafayette, in the county of Tippecanoe, and State of Indiana,

have invented a new andimproved Potato-Digger; and

, ing-plow, and endless screening-device arranged in connection therewith on a frame borne upon two wheels, of certain vine-cutting devices, to prevent as much as possible the gathering of the vines on the screen and clogging the same or the plow; also, an eaith-discharging apparatus, and a screen-shaking and brushing-apparatus, all as hereinafter more fully specified.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional new... tion of my improved machine, taken on the line a: z of fig. 2, and

Figure 2 represents a plan view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the frame, suspended on a pair of wheels, B C, and having suspended 'from it a scraper or shovel, D, and an endless carrier-screen, E,'which works over the pulleys F at one end, andthe shalt G at the other, in rear of the shovel, and supportedby the supportingbeams thereof.

he plow or scraper is connected rigidly to a pair of beams, H, suspended by cords I from a shaft, K, for. winding the cordsup or letting them out to gauge the depth of the working of the plow, or to raise it out of the ground altogether when required. I

This shait has a ratchet-wheel, I, at one end, and a lever and spring-pawl, I, for operating it.

Thefront end of thebeams are also connected, by cords L, to the frame, by which they are drawn,

The plow consists of a plane plate, supported obliquely to the ground-in the said beams, so as to be drawn into it as the machine moves along.

These beams rise nearly vertically from the point where-the plow is connected, and the vines and weeds naturally gather here and clog the plow. To prevent this, I have provided a pair of vertically-reciprocating. cutters, M, one to each beam, working ,in vertical grooves oravays provided for them on the beams, and operated by a crank-shait, N, to which they are suit-' The said crank shaft is operated by a counter shaft, 0, deriving motion, by means of a pinion,()', suitably gearing. with a large spur-wheel, P, connected to the wheel 0.

The wheel ,P', -on the counter-shaft O, which drives the crank-shaft N, is made to slip for stopping the motion of the cutters when they are not required.

The earth scraped up, together with the potatoes, passes with them upon the upper part of the screen, at Q, and, falling through it, ould naturallyclog the returning part below, and thereby prevent-the exercise of the full measure of usefulness of the. said screen.

I have therefore introduced a plate or table, R, be-' tween the upper and lower parts of the screen, for the reception of the earth, and a laterally-moving discharger, S, which throws the earth falling through the 'upper part off at either side.

This discharger is worked by a crank-shaft, T suitably arranged at one side of the machine, and riven by the large wheel P, by a train of gearing, suitably interposed between them and arranged forshitting the gear when required for throwing it out of action.

U represents arevolving shaft, having enlargements or projections thereon, whereby it is adapted to operate as'a knocker or shaker, and placed under the screen for'shaking, and also for supporting it.

It is operated by a. belt, U, from the shaft which works the screen. The potatoes are delivered over the rear of the carrier.

V represents a rotary bruslr placed under the screen, and also operated by a belt from the same shaft.-

This brush is designed to clean the screen as it returns to the plow, under the plate R, and acts upon the said screen, at a point bet-ween which and the plow no earth falls., iipon it.

X represents a'fixed cutter, placed near, the carrierscreen, which it turns over the pulleys IE, to separate any vines projecting from potatoes which may work through the spaces between the rods of the screen.

Having thus described my ihvention,.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent---,

1. The combination, with the plow and plow-beams,

of; the reciprocating cutters M, substantially as specified.

2. The 'combin'atiomwith the carrier-screen, of the earth-receiving plate R and dischargei'S, substantially as specified.

3; The arrangement of the plow-beam H, cords I,- adjusting-shaft K, and cords'L together, and with the frame, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the carrier-screen, of the revolving brush -V, when arranged substantially as specified. I '5. The combination, with the carrier-scree n, of the fixed cutter. X, substantially as specified;

Witnesses:

- I. O. Bmcxnsnnouon,

Jomr D; Gonon'n.

JOSEPH J. SINGLEY. 

